JPH09189869A - Optical modulator and display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make possible applying a board material varying a light quantity to a two-dimensional filter, a two-dimensional optical modulator, a twodimensional optical arithmetic device, etc., of an electromagnetic wave by moving it in the direction varying an overlapping degree with electrostatic force. SOLUTION: This modulator is constituted of a substrate pair consisting of a first substrate 1 and a second substrate 2 parallel arranged with a gap, and light shielding layers 10 are formed on these substrates 1, 2 while remaining plural light passing parts 3. Then, the board material 5 varies the light quantity facing from the second substrate 2 side to the first substrate 1 side or the light quantity facing from the first substrate 1 side to the second substrate 2 side by varying the overlapping degree between respective light passing parts 3 in the direction of respective substrates 1, 2 surface. The board material 5 moves by the electrostatic force by applying a drive voltage between a set of electrodes 7A, 7B formed on at least two among an elastic supporting body 6, the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2. Thus, the overlapping degree between the board material 5 and the light passing part 3 varies. Thus, it is applied for various devices.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical modulator applied to a two-dimensional filter for various electromagnetic waves (including visible light, infrared light and ultraviolet light), a two-dimensional optical modulator, a two-dimensional optical arithmetic unit and the like. And a display device to which the light modulator is applied.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART Cathode tube displays and liquid crystal displays are conventionally known as displays used in computers and the like. The cathode ray tube display has a disadvantage that it occupies a large area and consumes a large amount of power. For this reason, thin type and low power consumption devices such as liquid crystal displays are expected to become mainstream in the future. However, the liquid crystal display of the technical field of the present invention has the disadvantages of the above-mentioned cathode ray tube display, but has a low contrast and a slow response speed (for example, in the case of a color TFT liquid crystal display, it takes tens to hundreds of milliseconds). However, there is a drawback that flicker is likely to occur.

[0003]

It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical modulator applicable to a two-dimensional filter for electromagnetic waves, a two-dimensional optical modulator, a two-dimensional optical arithmetic unit and the like. In addition, another object of the present invention is a thin type which is a feature of a liquid crystal display,
An object of the present invention is to provide a display capable of displaying higher quality images while maintaining the characteristics of low power consumption.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An optical modulator according to the present invention comprises a substrate pair consisting of a first substrate and a second substrate which are arranged in parallel with a gap, and one of the substrates or both substrates have a plurality of substrates. The light-shielding layer is formed except for the light passage portion.

This light modulator has a plate member made of a polymer material or the like provided for each light passage portion. This plate material usually functions as a shutter that blocks light. That is, the plate material changes the degree of overlap with each light passage portion in each substrate surface direction, whereby light traveling from the second substrate side to the first substrate side, or from the second substrate side to the first substrate side. Change the amount of light going to.

A part or a plurality of parts of the elastic support is fixed to the pair of substrates, and another part or a part of the elastic support supports at least one of the plate members. For example, the elastic support is composed of two elastic members, one end of each elastic member is fixed to the substrate pair, the other end of each elastic member is attached to one plate member, and each elastic member is arranged in a straight line. You can also do it. In this case, instead of the one plate member, a plate member group fixed to each other and arranged in series and / or in parallel in the linear direction may be attached to the elastic member. In addition, the number of elastic members forming the elastic support can be appropriately increased. The elastic support generates a force that elastically returns the plate material or the plate material group to a mechanically stable position when the plate material or the plate material group moves due to the action of a pair of electrodes described later. The elastic member is
It can be fixed to the substrate pair via a member such as a spacer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, or the elastic member can be directly attached to one surface of the plate member.

Each of the above plate members has a driving voltage (usually a unidirectional pulse) applied to a set of electrodes (usually a pair of electrodes) formed on at least two of the elastic support, the first substrate and the second substrate.
By applying an electrostatic force (electrostatic attraction or repulsion)
Move by. As a result, the degree of overlap between the plate material and the light passage portion changes. When the drive voltage is not applied to the pair of electrodes, the plate member elastically returns to the mechanically stable position by the elastic support. It should be noted that the degree of overlap is zero percent at the mechanically stable position of the plate material, and the degree of overlap becomes large (finally 100%) when a drive voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes. The degree of overlap of the plate material with the light passage portion at the mechanically stable position of the plate material is 100%.
The overlapping degree can be reduced (finally becomes 0%) when a voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes.

In the optical modulator of the present invention, both the first substrate and the second substrate may be transparent, and the light shielding layer may be formed on either or both of the first substrate and the second substrate. In this case, the amount of light passing through the light passing portion after passing through the second substrate or the first substrate toward the gap changes due to the movement of the plate material.

Further, in the optical modulator of the present invention, when the first substrate is transparent and the light shielding layer is formed on the first substrate, the light reflecting layer can be formed on the surface of the second substrate on the side of the gap. . In this case, due to the movement of the plate member, the amount of light that passes through the light passage portion toward the gap, is reflected by the light reflection layer, and then passes through the light passage portion again changes. The light reflecting layer may be formed on the surface of the plate material on the first substrate side. In this case, light-reflecting treatment such as forming a material layer having low light reflectance and light transmittance is performed on the gap side surface of the second substrate.

A liquid or gas can be enclosed in the gap in consideration of an increase in electrostatic force. Spacers can be used as a means for creating this gap. In addition, for example, for each mechanical unit (hereinafter, referred to as “mechanical unit for one pixel”) for one pixel including the at least one plate member, the elastic support, and the one set of electrodes, or a plurality of mechanical units. It is also possible to separate the gap in a unit of one pixel, and to fill the liquid or gas into the separated gap. In this case, it is possible to use a spacer as the isolation means. By enclosing a liquid or gas in the gap, the plate material can be moved with a small driving voltage. In this case, the resistivity of the plate material is 10 ¹⁰ Ω · c.
It is preferable that the fluid resistivity is 10 ⁷ Ω · cm or more, and the fluid resistivity is one digit or more higher than that of the plate material. Conversely, even when the plate material is made of a dielectric material and the gap is made of a conductive material, the plate material can be electrostatically driven with a small voltage. In this case, it is preferable that the resistivity of the fluid is 10 ¹⁰ Ω · cm or less, the resistivity of the plate material is 10 ⁷ Ω · cm or more, and the resistivity of the plate material is one digit or more larger than the resistivity of the liquid. .

Further, when the plate material is made of a material having a low dielectric constant and a fluid having a high dielectric constant is sealed in the gap, the same effect as described above can be obtained. Conversely, when the plate material is made of a material having a high dielectric constant and a fluid having a low dielectric constant is sealed in the gap, the same effect as above can be obtained. in this case,
It is preferable that the sheet material and the fluid have a resistivity of 10 ⁷ Ω · cm or more.

The above-mentioned light modulator can be used to construct a monochrome or color device such as a display device or an overhead projector. For example, on the first substrate or the second substrate, red, green,
A color display or the like can be configured by arranging filters for the three primary colors of blue light in a matrix.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1A is a side cross-sectional view of the light modulation device 100. The light modulation device 100 may have a spacer 8 (not shown in the drawing, but may have a rectangular shape in a plan view. 8A and 8B in the drawings). The substrate pair (that is, the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2) are arranged in parallel with a gap 4 formed by (only shown). Although these substrates are transparent in FIG. 1A and glass plates are used, organic polymer films may be used in consideration of weight reduction and flexibility. Although not shown, the second substrate 2 is not shown in FIG.
A light source (artificial light source) is provided on the side opposite to the gap 4. In FIG. 1A, the light-shielding layer 10 is formed on the first substrate 1 on the side of the gap 4 except the light passage portion 3. Although not shown in the drawing, a plurality of the light passage portions 3 are formed on the first substrate 1 and arranged in a matrix. Further, a dielectric fluid L (a liquid here) is enclosed in the gap 4 (hereinafter, this fluid L is referred to as "enclosed fluid").

The elastic supports 6 are provided on the spacers 8A and 8B.
(In this embodiment, it is composed of the support members 6A and 6B). Here, the support members 6A, 6B
Is fixed to the spacers 8A and 8B, and the other ends are attached to the plate member 5. In FIG. 1A,
The support members 6A and 6B are expandable and contractable in a zigzag shape, and the plate member 5 can be moved in a direction in which the degree of overlap with the light passage portions 3 is changed. The plate member 5 is made of an opaque conductive material, and the amount of light traveling from the second substrate 2 side to the light passing unit 3 can be changed by changing the degree of overlap with each light passing unit 3. In this embodiment, when the plate member 5 is in the mechanically stable position, the degree of overlap is zero percent.

Further, an electrode 7A is formed on the gap 4 side of the light passage portion 3 of the first substrate 1, and an electrode 7B is formed on a portion of the second substrate 2 corresponding to the electrode 7A on the gap 4 side. There is. The pair of electrodes 7A and 7B are both transparent,
A power supply 9 is connected between both electrodes. A predetermined voltage (driving voltage Vd) can be applied from the power source 9 to move the plate member 5 by electrostatic attraction.

The driving voltage Vd is usually a low voltage of 10 V or less (preferably several V or less). Drive voltage Vd
Is greatly affected by the spring constants of the elastic members 6A and 6B as described below. The spring constants of the elastic members 6A and 6B are
Depends on elastic modulus and size. Inorganic materials such as silicon and aluminum generally have a large elastic coefficient. Therefore, when these are used as the material of the elastic members 6A and 6B, the elastic members 6A and 6B need to be thinned to a width of about 0.1 μm in order to reduce the drive voltage Vd to about 10 volts. On the other hand, the elastic modulus of organic polymer materials such as polyimide and PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) is
It is about two orders of magnitude smaller than the elastic modulus of ordinary inorganic materials. Therefore, in the manufacturing example described later, polyimide is used as the elastic members 6A and 6B. Thereby, the elastic member 6A,
The drive voltage Vd can be set to about 10 volts while keeping the width of 6B thick.

When the width of the elastic members 6A and 6B is about 1 μm, the elastic support 6 can be manufactured at a low cost with a high yield using a contact type exposure apparatus. If the driving voltage Vd may be increased a little, the elastic member 6
The width of A and 6B can be further widened. Therefore, it is possible to make the elastic support 6 by a printing technique suitable for mass production.

As the enclosed fluid L, many kinds can be used. Dielectric material with low relative permittivity of about 3 (for example, trade name F
luorinert Fluid etc. are also used,
Higher than 20 at room temperature (eg water, ethanol,
Methanol, ethylene glycol, formamide) are also used. In particular, many liquid crystal materials developed in recent years can be used. Further, the enclosed fluid L can be given an appropriate viscosity because of the necessity of damping when the plate member 5 moves.

When a liquid having a low electric resistivity such as water is used as the sealed fluid L, the leak current becomes large. As a result, the holding time of the plate member 5 in the equilibrium state is shortened. Although it is not always preferable that the holding time is short, a certain length is generally required. It should be noted that a mixture of different liquids can be used to obtain the desired resistivity, relative permittivity and viscosity.

A conductive material is used for the plate member 5,
When a dielectric fluid is used as the enclosed fluid L, a large electrostatic attraction can be obtained. A conductive polymer material can be used as the plate member 5. When polyimide or PMMA, which originally has a high insulating property, is used as the plate material 5, the resistivity can be significantly reduced by implanting carbon or nitrogen ions into these. As another method, a conductive layer can be formed on the plate material 5.

FIG. 1B is a plan view showing a state in which the plate member 5 is attached to the spacers 8A and 8B via the elastic members 6A and 6B. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B,
When the drive voltage Vd is zero volt, the degree of overlap between the plate member 5 and the light passage portion 3 is zero percent, and the incident light Bin from the second substrate 2 is transmitted through the second substrate 2 toward the gap 4. Further, it passes through the light passing portion 3 as the emitted light Bout. When the drive voltage Vd (unidirectional pulse) is applied between the electrodes 7A and 7B, the plate material 5 is attracted to the electrodes 7A and 7B side (direction x in the drawing).

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the states when the drive voltage Vd is set to a predetermined voltage, and correspond to FIGS. 1A and 1B where the drive voltage Vd is zero volt. doing. In this case, the plate member 5 has moved sufficiently to the electrodes 7A and 7B side (the x direction in the drawing), and the degree of overlap with the light passage portion 3 is 100%. As described above, the amount of the incident light Bin passing through the light passing portion 3 is adjusted by the plate member 5.

Although not shown, the electrode 7A or 7B
Alternatively, the plate member 5 may be used as an electrode for driving (the plate member 5 is naturally made of a conductive material). However, in such a case, since the driving voltage Vd is directly applied to the plate member 5 from the power source 9, the plate member 5 is moved in the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 (or the second substrate 2) (+ z direction or −).
Since the electrostatic force is applied in the z direction), the plate member 5 may not move smoothly. On the other hand, in the light modulation device 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2, the drive voltage Vd is not directly applied to the plate material 5, and the electrodes 7A and 7B applied to the plate material 5 are used.
The electrostatic force in the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 (or the second substrate 2) due to is canceled out. Therefore, the above deflection of the plate material 5 does not occur at all or hardly occurs.

In the optical modulator 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plate member 5 is made of a conductive material and the enclosed fluid L is a dielectric fluid. However, the plate member 5 is made of a dielectric material, By using a fluid having a relative dielectric constant smaller than that of the plate material 5 as the enclosed fluid, the plate material 5 can be moved by electrostatic attraction, as in the light modulator 100 shown in FIGS.

Alternatively, the plate material 5 may be made of a dielectric material, and the enclosed fluid L may be a fluid having a relative dielectric constant smaller than that of the plate material 5. In this case, the plate material 5 moves due to electrostatic repulsion. That is, in the configuration of the embodiment in which the plate member 5 is mechanically stable at the position shown in FIG. 2 when the drive voltage Vd is zero volt, the plate member 5 is closer to the electrodes 7A and 7B (-in the drawing) as the drive voltage Vd increases. x direction)
Go to When the drive voltage Vd reaches a predetermined value, the plate material 5 reaches the position shown in FIG.

Further, the plate member 5 may be made of an insulating material so that the enclosed fluid is electrically conductive. In this case as well, the plate material 5 moves due to electrostatic repulsion, but in order to prevent overcurrent from flowing between the electrodes 7A and 7B, an insulating thin film is usually formed on the surfaces of these electrodes 7A and 7B. Need to be kept. In addition, in order to prevent interference between adjacent one pixel mechanism units (mechanisms for one pixel including the plate member 5, the elastic support member 6 (elastic members 6A and 6B), and the electrodes 7A and 7B), adjacent one pixel mechanism units are adjacent to each other. It is also possible to insulate the gaps 4 to be insulated from each other by an appropriate means (for example, by the spacer 8).

FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams showing another embodiment of the optical modulator of the present invention. In the optical modulator of FIG. 3, the incident light Bin passes through the light passage portion 3 toward the gap 4 and then is reflected by the light reflection layer formed on the second substrate 2.
The amount of reflected light is changed by the plate material 5. The reflected light is
The emitted light Bout passes through the light passing portion 3. FIG.
In the optical modulators shown in (a) to (c), the electrode 7B 'of the second substrate 2 also functions as a reflective layer. As the electrode 7B ', an electrode having a high light reflectance such as an aluminum electrode is used. Further, as the plate material 5, a material having a low light reflectance and a light transmittance made of a material containing a black pigment is used. In this light modulator, the amount of reflected light (emitted light Bout) can be changed depending on the position of the plate member 5. That is, in FIG. 3A, since the plate member 5 does not block the incident light Bin, the emitted light Bout is 100%. In FIG. 3B, the plate member 5 shields a part of the incident light Bin, and the unshielded part of the incident light Bin is reflected as the emitted light Bout. In FIG. 3C, the plate member 5 shields all the incident light Bin, and the outgoing light Bout.
Is zero percent.

In the light modulator described above, the incident light Bi
In order to use n with high efficiency, it is desirable to maximize the ratio (aperture ratio) of the area occupied by the light passage portion 3 to the area of the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2. But,
If the light passage portion 3 is enlarged, the area of the plate material 5 must be enlarged. Therefore, the moving distance of the plate member 5 also becomes large, and the drive voltage Vd must be increased. When the drive voltage Vd is increased, the elastic members 6A and 6B are not easily designed. In order to solve such a problem, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of plate materials (in FIG.
2, 53) can be connected in series. In this case, the electrodes 7 provided for the plate members 51 to 53, respectively.
The electrodes A and the electrodes 7B are short-circuited with each other.

In the case of a high precision display, the size of one pixel is approximately 200 μm × 200 μm. When the size of the light passage portion 3 is 10 μm × 200 μm, the plate member 5
If 10 pixels are arranged in series, this corresponds to one pixel.

The above-mentioned series connection method has the following advantages. First, the elastic members 6A and 6B have a plurality of plate members 51 to 51.
Since 53 is supported, the aperture ratio is increased. Further, since it is considered that the electrostatic force is proportional to the number of plate materials, the electrostatic force when, for example, n plate materials are connected in series with respect to the same drive voltage Vd is n times that in the case of one plate material. This brings about an advantage that the driving voltage Vd can be made lower, or the elastic members 6A and 6B can be made wider.

Further, the serial connection method and the parallel connection method can coexist. In this case, it is desirable to employ a mechanism that restricts the movement of the plurality of plate materials only in a desired direction (X direction in FIG. 1). For example, as shown in FIG. 5, parallel plate material groups 5A, 5B with three stages per pixel,
5C is constituted, and the plate members constituting each plate group are fixedly connected to each other. Here, the plate material group 5A is the plate material 5A.
Consist ₁ to 5 A _4, the plate group 5B plate _5B 1 _{~5B 5}
Further, the plate material group 5C is composed of the plate materials 5C _{1 to} 5C ₄ . Between plate group 5A~5C also integrally fixedly connected to each other, in the entire plate group 5A~5C of these parallel appropriate positions (Fig. 5, two points, and plate members 5A ₄ and 5 of the plate 5B ₁
Elastic members 61A~61D provided in one each) of C ₄ (these are spacers (here via the constituting elastic support 6), reference numeral 8C, attached to indicated by 8D). Although not shown, the electrodes on the first substrate side and the electrodes on the second substrate side of each plate material are short-circuited to each other as in the case of FIG. In addition, in FIG. 5, plate material groups 5A-5
C, the elastic members 61A to 61D, and the electrodes 7A and 7B form a mechanical unit for one pixel.

The aperture ratio also becomes small for the following reasons. That is, as shown in a manufacturing example described later, for example, the optical modulator of FIG. 1 has spacers 8A and 8B.
Part of the second substrate 2 on which the elastic member 6, the plate member 5 and the electrode 7B are mounted, and the remaining portions of the spacers 8A and 8B,
It is assembled by bonding the light shielding layer 10 and the first substrate 1 having the electrode 7A built therein. Misalignment occurs in alignment during this joining. In particular, the larger the display area of the light modulator, the larger the deviation. In order to cope with this deviation, it is necessary to provide a positioning margin with respect to the sizes of the electrodes 7A and 7B of the first substrate 1 and the light passage portion 3, and this margin reduces the aperture ratio.

In order to solve the above problems, the light shielding layer 10
Is formed on the second substrate 2 side, and the electrode 7A is formed on the entire surface of the first substrate 1.
Can be formed so that the electrode 7A can be shared by a plurality of plate members 5. When the light modulator of the present invention is applied to a display and when the display is performed by simple matrix drive, as shown in FIG. 6, each plate member 5 in the mechanism unit for one pixel shares the same electrode 7A of the first substrate 1 as shown in FIG. do it. Further, in the case of TFT driving, it is sufficient to share the electrode 7A of the first substrate having the same mechanical unit for all pixels.

With the above structure, even if the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are misaligned during assembly, the electrodes 7A and 7B and the light passage portion 3 are not affected. Therefore, since it is not necessary to take a design margin, it is possible to prevent the aperture ratio from being lowered due to the position shift. When the electrode 7A is shared by one pixel mechanism unit or a plurality of one pixel mechanism units, since the electrodes 7A and 7B are asymmetrical, an electrostatic force is generated in the + z direction or the −z direction due to the frising effect. There are also things to do. However,
Since this electrostatic force is usually small, this problem can be solved by increasing the rigidity of the elastic member 6 in the + z direction and the −z direction.

When the light modulation device of the present invention is applied to a display which displays a fixed pattern such as displaying only numbers, the required number of pixels is very small, so that each plate member 5 (or plate member group) is required. Can be driven directly. Also,
When the light modulator of the present invention is applied to a normal monochrome display or color display (that is, when each pixel is arranged in an array and any pixel is accessed)
The driving method of is basically the same as the matrix driving circuit used in the TN type liquid crystal display. For example, when the light modulator of FIG. 1 is applied to a display,
When the number of pixels is small, each plate member 5 may be directly driven by a matrix circuit. When the number of pixels is large, each plate member 5 is often used for a liquid crystal display such as a transistor or a diode between the electrodes 7A and 7B and the matrix circuit. It suffices to insert a non-linear element that is present and drive.

In the case of a liquid crystal display, if a voltage in the same direction is continuously applied, the characteristics are likely to deteriorate, and therefore an inversion AC voltage is used. Therefore, the drive circuit becomes complicated and flicker is likely to occur. On the other hand, in the display using the light modulation device of the present invention, normally, unidirectional pulses are used, so that deterioration unlike liquid crystal displays does not easily occur, the drive circuit does not become complicated, and flicker hardly occurs. .

The light modulator described above can be applied to a monochrome display using ambient light such as room illumination light and natural light or artificial light (backlight) as a light source, and a color display using artificial light. In a monochrome display, transmitted light and reflected light that are two-dimensionally modulated create an image corresponding to the signal from the drive circuit. In the color display, filter elements of the three primary colors of light of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are arranged in an array for each pixel on the surface of the first substrate 1 or the first substrate 2. . FIG. 7: is a figure which shows an example of a color display, and the filter element pieces 141-R of R, G, and B are each shown in the three light passage parts 3 shown in figure.
It is shown that 143 has been formed. The electrode 7A is shared by a plurality of pixels for one mechanical unit, and the driving voltage is supplied to the electrode 7B by the TFT 11 (three electrodes of the TFT are shown by 111 to 113).
The light source includes the light guide plate 12 and the fluorescent lamp 13, and the light Bin from the light guide plate 12 enters the second substrate 2. For convenience of explanation, spacers are indicated by reference numeral 8 and elastic members are indicated by reference numeral 6 in FIG. 7. Regarding the color filter forming method,
Since the technology used in the conventional color liquid crystal display can be adopted, it will not be described in detail.

The optical modulator of the present invention can be applied to a projection type display device such as an overhead projector by combining it with an optical system.

[Manufacturing Example] The light modulation device described above can be easily realized by using a microlithography technique and, in some cases, a printing technique. Hereinafter, a manufacturing process of an optical modulator (using a simple matrix drive transmissive type in this manufacturing example) in which the plate material 5 has a small dielectric constant and the enclosed fluid L has a large dielectric constant will be described. .

First, the manufacturing process of the first substrate 1 will be described with reference to FIG. (1-a) One surface of the first substrate (glass substrate having a thickness of 1 mm) 1 is coated with Cr to a thickness of 1000 Å to form the light-shielding layer 10, and the light-transmitting portion 3 is formed by removing Cr from a predetermined portion. Was formed (FIG. 8A). (1-b) A 1000 Å thick SiO ₂ layer was formed thereon (FIG. 8B). (1-c) Furthermore, ITO (Indi) with a thickness of 1000 Å
um Tin Oxide) layer is formed and then patterned to form the electrode 7A of the first substrate 1 (FIG. 8).
(C)). The ITO layer is transparent. (1-d) Polyimide having a thickness of 3 μm was formed and patterned. After that, heat treatment was performed to form a part of the spacer 8 having a thickness of 1.5 μm (FIG. 8D).

Next, the manufacturing process of the second substrate 2 will be described with reference to FIG. (2-a) After coating 1000 Å ITO on one surface of the second substrate (1 mm thick glass substrate) 2,
The electrode 7B was formed by patterning (FIG. 9A). (2-b) A resist was applied to a thickness of 1.5 μm, and a hole was made in the spacer 8 portion of the second substrate (FIG. 9B). (2-c) Photosensitive polyimide (having a relative dielectric constant of about 3) was applied to a thickness of 6 μm (FIG. 9C). The polyimide used here was impregnated with a black pigment. (2-d) By patterning, the elastic member 6 and the plate member 5
Was formed (FIG. 9 (d)). (2-e) The resist applied in (2-b) is removed.
Then, a heat treatment was performed to form a part of the spacer 8 having a thickness of 3 μm (FIG. 9E).

The first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 were joined face to face while aligning the spacers of the substrates. Then, a liquid crystal having a relative dielectric constant of 25 was injected into the gap formed by the spacer. When the bonding between the first substrate 1 and the second substrate is performed while being immersed in the liquid crystal,
Liquid crystal can be easily injected.

[0043]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, a two-dimensional filter for various electromagnetic waves having a simpler structure than ever,
An optical modulator applied to a two-dimensional optical modulator, a two-dimensional optical arithmetic device, etc. can be provided. Also, it is possible to provide a display device having many of the advantages of the cathode ray tube display and the liquid crystal display.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing an embodiment of a light modulation device of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a side cross-sectional view of a light modulation device, and FIG. 1B is a state in which a plate member is attached to a spacer via an elastic member. It is a top view shown.

2 (a) and (b) are FIG. 1 (a) and (b), respectively.
It is a figure corresponding to, and is a state of the movement of the plate material when the drive voltage is set to a predetermined voltage.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the optical modulator of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a plurality of plate materials are connected in series.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a group of parallel plate materials having three stages per pixel.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which a light-shielding layer is formed on the second substrate side, an electrode is formed on the entire surface of the first substrate, and this electrode is shared by one pixel as a mechanical unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a light-shielding layer is formed on the second substrate side, electrodes are formed on the entire surface of the first substrate, and the electrodes are shared by a plurality of one-pixel mechanical units.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing process of the first substrate.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing process of the second substrate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 First Substrate 2 Second Substrate 3 Light Passing Portion 4 Gap 5 Plate Material 6 Elastic Support 6A, 6B Elastic Member 7A, 7B, 7B 'Electrode 8, 8A, 8B Spacer 9 Power Supply 10 Shading Layer 11 TFT 12 Light Guide Plate 13 Fluorescence Lamps 111-113 TFT electrodes 141-143 Filter pieces

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A light in which a light-shielding layer is formed leaving a plurality of light passage portions on either one or both substrates of a substrate pair consisting of a first substrate and a second substrate arranged in parallel with a gap. A modulator, which is provided for each of the light passage portions, and changes the degree of overlap with each light passage portion in the direction of each of the substrate surfaces, so that the light traveling from the first substrate side to the second substrate side is changed. Or the second
A plate member that changes the amount of light traveling from the substrate side to the first substrate side, and a part or a plurality of parts is fixed to the substrate pair, and another part or a plurality of parts supports at least one of the plate members, An elastic support member that elastically returns the at least one plate member to a mechanically stable position, and at least two of the elastic support member, the first substrate, and the second substrate, and the plate members are overlapped with each other. 1 for moving by electrostatic force in the direction that changes
And a pair of electrodes, a light modulator. 2. The light modulation device according to claim 1, wherein both the first substrate and the second substrate are transparent, and the light shielding layer is formed on at least the first substrate. After passing through the substrate toward the gap, the first
An optical modulator, wherein the plate material changes the amount of light passing through a light passage portion formed on a substrate. 3. The light modulation device according to claim 1, wherein both the first substrate and the second substrate are transparent, and the light shielding layer is formed on at least the second substrate. The light modulating device, wherein the plate member changes the amount of light passing through the first substrate after passing through the light passage portion formed on the substrate toward the gap. 4. The optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate is transparent, and the light-shielding layer is formed on the first substrate, wherein a surface of the second substrate on the gap side. Alternatively, the first of the plate materials
A light reflection layer is formed on the surface of the substrate side, and after passing through the light passage portion formed on the first substrate toward the gap, the light reflected by the light reflection layer is passed through the light passage portion again. An optical modulator, wherein the plate material changes the amount. 5. The light modulation device according to claim 1, wherein the plate material is made of a polymer material. 6. The light modulation device according to claim 1, wherein an electrode for moving the plate member by electrostatic force is formed only on the first substrate and the second substrate. . 7. The optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein the gap is made uniform by a spacer, and a liquid or gas is sealed in the gap. 8. A mechanism unit for one pixel, which comprises the at least one plate member, the elastic support, and the one set of electrodes on the first substrate or the second substrate,
8. The light modulation device according to claim 1, wherein filters of three primary colors of light of red, green and blue are arranged in a matrix. 9. A display device using the light modulation device according to claim 1.